I'm Gonna Go Grab a Spoon
by Stessa
Summary: Ross was ready for that new, tasty ice cream. Set after the Pilot. Lobsterfluff.


**I'm Gonna Go Grab a Spoon**

**A Lobster One-shot **

**--ooo--**

Ross remembered what it was like to be shot down. He remembered all those times he had tried to ask out a girl, but she had just laughed in his face and shot him a look that pretty much said 'what do you think!?'. He remembered the feeling he got in the pit of his stomach when Carol told him she was a lesbian and that she was in love with Susan. He had literally thought that his life was over, but unfortunately for him, it didn't work that way.

But maybe it wasn't such a bad thing after all. Because as luck would have it, Rachel had returned into his life, and suddenly he remembered why life was good again. She was just… She was everything he had always wanted. He knew it was corny, like those teenage movies where the popular girl, for some reason, decides to date the geek. But it had always been his dream, and there she was, ready to start anew, just as he was ready to grab that spoon.

Sure, he wasn't even sure she would say yes when he asked her out. But he had asked her if she might say yes if he did, and she had seemed okay with the idea. Now the problem was just that he didn't have the guts to actually do it. It was really tough for him. Rachel had always been his dream-girl, and her knowing he had such a huge crush on her, didn't help the cause. He didn't want to screw this up, but he told himself he had to take the chance. If he didn't, he wouldn't know what could have been.

The old ice cream was melted, and he was ready to taste a new one. That spoon looked rather good right now.

So that was why he was going to do it today. He was gonna go grab that spoon and take a chance. Rachel was working right now, and he was off for lunch break. He decided to go do it now so he wouldn't have to face the pressure from all of his friends. Chandler knew what he was doing, though, and he had even called to give him a good luck along the way.

_Remember Ross. It's that ice cream. She's the new taste, and you're ready to dig in! _

Those words were encouraging in a way only Chandler could do it. And even if Ross had goofily laughed when he hung up the phone, he had also thought about the words in a real way. He was going to remember it. He was ready to dig in. And if Rachel didn't want to go on a real date with him, then there was thousandths if other flavours he could try out. He was ready. He had the spoon in his hand. And even if he had a favourite taste already, he could always try something new if it didn't work out.

He entered Central Perk in a good mood. He'd get some coffee and hope Rachel would serve him. If she did, he'd give her a nice tip (just because she was a terrible waitress, he should be boosting her self-esteem) and then casually approach the subject. It wasn't as if he had a plan lined up and everything, he just figured it was better to be prepared.

He took a seat in the couch and leaned back, happy to be at a place he knew and felt safe. He didn't have to wait many minutes before Rachel's smiley face was right next to him. He felt his heart grow warmer and realized that he really had to do this. No one could make his heart beat like that except Rachel Karen Green.

"Hi Rach." He smiled, and tired to sound more relaxed then he felt. He didn't want to come off as stupid or anything. He hoped she wouldn't be able to tell how much he dreaded this.

"Hey Ross." Rachel happily replied and she shot him that smile – the smile he loved so much. It came from her lips and all the way into her amazing eyes. "What can I get for you?"

"Uhm…" he squeezed his eyes together and thought it over for a few seconds, until he had decided on something. He didn't want to get the wrong thing and then regret it later, "I'd – I'd like an eh, blueberry muffin and some coffee. Just… black."

Rachel giggled slightly, "Alright, and you'll have it here I bet?"

"Yup." Ross said, and tried to charm his way in on her, "Rachel Green – the ever so smart girl."

She winked at him, "I'll be right back, Ross." She promised, before she turned around to go take some more orders. He couldn't help but almost snap his neck when he tried to follow her all the way through the room. He loved everything about her. The way her hair flew down her shoulders and the way her hips swayed from side to side when she walked.

Call him a hopeless romantic, but he couldn't help it. She just so… so… _Rachel_.

He eventually turned the right way and decided to go through some papers. He had nothing to do, so he might as well get some work done. He was way too nervous to do nothing. He had to occupy himself. But he was relieved when Rachel came to him and placed a plate with a muffin on it, plus a cup of coffee next to him.

"Here you go…" she smiled, "I think I got your orders right. For once." She couldn't help but giggle.

"Thank you." Ross said and decided to ignore the fact that the muffin was banana and that the coffee was far from black, "It's very nice, thank you."

Rachel sighed in relief and was about to move, when he stopped her;

"Hey Rach?" he asked her, and when she turned around, he continued, "Do you think – do you think I could talk to you for a few seconds? If you're not too busy of course."

"Sure." She quickly said, and looked back to the counter, "Sure Ross, I'll just… I'll just take my break now, then." She offered him a small smile and sat down next to him on the couch. She looked at him for a few seconds, before she reached a hand out and grabbed a piece of his muffin, "What's up?" she asked him, and chewed happily.

"Uhm…" he didn't really know how to start this conversation, but he knew he had to get it done. She was there in front of him right now, so he'd be really stupid, if he didn't say to her, what he wanted to say, "Do you – do you remember one of your first nights in the city? When – when we were watching TV after Monica had gone to bed?"

"Suuure…" she said, but she looked a bit confused. He could tell that she wasn't totally getting this.

"We uhm, we shared the last cookie?" he offered, hoping it'd trig her mind.

"Oh yeah!" she said, and her face lit up, "Yeah, now I remember. We were watching TV and Monica stomped on that watch." She nodded her head for a few seconds, probably more to herself than to him, "I remember now. What about it?"

Ross didn't understand, "What about what?" he questioned her. He had been lost in thought about Rachel and the way the light was reflected in her eyes at the moment, and hadn't been totally listening to her.

"What about that night?" she asked him again.

"Oh!" he laughed and almost rolled his eyes at himself, "Oh yeah, I'm following you now. I just wanted to ask you something… To do – eh, do you remember that I asked you a question that night? Right before I left?"

She bit her lip and seemed to ponder for a few seconds. He really hoped she'd remember it, so he didn't have to phrase it. He sucked at those things. He wasn't very good when it came to girls. Least of all girls – her.

"Something about high school and you… and me?" he tried again, hoping against all odds that she'd now remember it.

Just then it seemed like a light went on inside her head. She shot him a huge smile and nodded her head enthusiastically, "Mhm. The whole thing about you liking me in high school, right?" she paused, before continuing, "Yup, and then you asked me if I thought it'd be alright, if you asked me out sometime…"

"Yes!" he said and happily nodded his head, "Yes! That's it."

She giggled for a few seconds before she got quiet and an awkward silence rose between them. Rachel watched him with huge eyes, searching his face, questions floating through her pools. He just watched her, wondering why she wasn't saying anything.

"Uhm Ross?" she mumbled, moving her hand gently in front of his face, "I remember now… What did you want to really ask me?"

"Oh!" Ross chuckled goofily when he realized how stupid he must have been. He raised an eyebrow, before saying, "I just eh… Uhm, wanted to y'know? Uh… Ask you if maybe you, sorta, kinda… wanted to uhm..."

"Ross?" she cut him off, with that amazing smile across her lips, "If you're trying to ask me out, then I'll just help you…" she giggled, "Yes. I do wanna go out with you."

He was frozen for a few seconds, not able to believe his ears. Had she just… Did she just say yes? Did she really want to go out with him? That was just… really unbelievable. He snapped out of it, though, knowing he somehow had to respond to her, "Great!" he said, and offered her a huge smile, "Great. That'd be great. What do you say, tomorrow? At eh… _Fernandito's_? Eight o'clock? I'll pick you up?"

She nodded happily and smoothed her skirt out, "Yes. Yes. I'll be ready by then." She stood up and looked to the counter, "But I – I better get back to work now."

"Yeah of course." Ross said.

"Bye." she said, and he could tell she didn't really know how to act around him right now. She just looked happy and a bit flattered. She gave him a small wave before she left him alone. And again, he couldn't help but watch her leave.

Ross felt it was a bit too much to pat himself on the shoulder, so he did it in his mind and leaned forward and grabbed his mug. Then he leaned back in the couch, taking a long sip.

He just did good. He just grabbed a spoon.

**--ooo--**

He couldn't actually believe that he was on a date with her. He was on a date with Rachel Karen Green. She sat across from him, her hair beautifully swept to the side, make-up done perfectly, and that amazing smile on her face. She was wearing a cute dress and a pair of silver earrings she had 'borrowed' from Monica. She actually looked pretty happy to be in the company of him.

"So, I haven't really asked you how you like your new life here?" Ross asked her, as he cut his steak. This was a pretty fancy place, and Rachel was a fancy girl. The steak was good, no doubt about that. Rachel was eating something with lobster. Normally he would have gone for the same, but he was allergic and he didn't want to end this night by going to the hospital. It had to end perfectly.

Rachel shrugged, "It's fine, actually." She started, "My Father keeps calling me; wanting me to go back home. But why should I? I'm actually happy here. I've got a job. Yes, I know it's not much, considering what you guys have, but I've gotta find out what I want to do, y'know? So until then, I'm perfectly fine." She paused and locked eyes with him, "I've got real friends now."

Ross chuckled, "Yeah, that's a good thing." He said.

She offered him a warm heart-melting smile before taking a sip of her wine. It wasn't awkward like he had thought it would be, it was perfect. They were like two people who had known each other for ages. They were comfortable around each other. And they could talk about everything. He really hoped she'd want to do this again, because this was like… his dream come true.

He remembered what it was like in high school; looking up to her, not being able to have her. He'd watch her with all those jerks. Especially that Chip guy; he'd still get the urge to hit something when he thought of the way he had treated her at prom. And he had been cheating on her with that Amy girl all through everything. Rachel hadn't been the luckiest girl at all.

"Y'know Ross," she said, and placed her glass on the table with a sigh, "this is actually really fun. I was worried it might be awkward going out with you, since we've quickly become so good friends. I was actually starting to wonder if you hadn't even meant what you said that day."

He arched an eyebrow, and took a drink of his wine too, "You mean you've been waiting for me to ask you?"

She gave him a cocky smile, "You could say that. I mean… I thought it sounded nice back when you offered. But when nothing happened I thought that was just it, so when you asked me today I was really surprised, but also… Very happy. I really wanted this."

"Well, I'm glad." Ross managed to choke out, while he was cheering on the inside. Had he been alone right now he would have jumped into the air and screamed his happiness out, but this was a fancy place, so none of that could happen. Plus, it would be kinda embarrassing with Rachel right there. He knew he could be a goofball, but doing it purposely was not a very good idea.

Rachel giggled, "Monica was totally going crazy back home." She told him.

"Going crazy?" Ross asked, certainly confused. Why would she be going crazy at all? Had he done something? Or had Rachel done something stupid? Maybe she hadn't gotten permission to borrow those earrings…

Rachel almost rolled her eyes at him, "Because it's you and me, Ross. She wants this date to go well. She wants us to end up going on more dates. And then in the end, she wants us to go out, so I can become the mother of her next niece or nephew. After your child of course, and after we've gotten married."

"Oooh," Ross said, as realization finally sunk in. Of course Monica would be excited for them to go out on this date. It was her big brother and her best friend. Some people would have gotten mad at them (he knew that he certainly would get mad at Chandler if he _ever_ went out or slept with Monica), but Monica took this cool. She was just really happy for them, and apparently it was a dream come true for her to plan their wedding, "I get it now." he said.

"Yeah," Rachel said, "we might want to be a bit careful around her for the next few days. Just so she _doesn't_ pick out my wedding dress yet."

Ross couldn't keep in his laugh. See, it was so great. They just talked and talked, and discussing their friends while they weren't there was always an interesting subject. He was pretty sure that if they ended up a couple he'd never don't know what to say to her, "She'll probably be waiting up to ask you how it went."

"Oh yeah…" Rachel said, and nodded her head knowingly, "She definitely will be." She paused then, and looked up at him, "What do I tell her then?"

Ross didn't exactly know what to answer, but he knew this would make or break them. He had to do this the right way, and just… Tell her that he really liked her company and that he wanted to become something more. "You could just tell her that…" he reached across the table, and gently grabbed her hand, "Tell her that it went good."

Rachel smiled and squeezed his hand tightly.

He locked eyes with her, "So, what do you say we do this again?"

"I think…" she trailed off, and looked at their hands, before looking up at him again, "I think I'd like that."

He couldn't contain a huge smile, "Good." He said.

"Good."

* * *

_Ahaha! That was totally crazy. It didn't even get as I had imagined it would and therefore it didn't get as long either. But it felt like a good place to end it. I really hope you guys enjoyed this! It's like… my first Friends story in a year or something. When you think about how much I used to write for this show, it's hard to believe it's been a year. _

_It was definitely fun to write some Lobster-loving again. I got this idea after watching the first episode and just couldn't resist typing up an old favourite couple of mine ;) _

_**Disclaimer; **__I do not own Friends. _

_- Stessa. _


End file.
